Gravity
by Serenity Draco
Summary: Opposites attract even over time, but this pull, it's stronger than fate... it's gravity pulling two beings together even though everyone said to stay apart, but can gravity stand up to death? SessxKag slightly AU
1. Prelude 1: Sunset Orange

She sighed as she tapped her pencil against the pad of paper in front of her. It really wasn't her fault that her brain decided to take a vacation for the week she thought resentfully glaring at the blank page before her. Though the term paper was due tomorrow, she just couldn't focus. Her mind wandered every where but the subject at hand, which was actually one of her favorites, history. Slowly she went over her day from beginning to end, starting with her shower this morning in the dorm's shared bath house and ending with the conversation with her best friend after her last class for the day, earlier this afternoon.

_"This is college and you only live once, you should get out more."_

She had protested again pointing out the fact that she did get out. She had went to that sorority party just last week but her friend had laughed.

_"You can't count coming for five minutes and then rushing off when the booze arrived. How long has it been since you went out on just a simple date? Not since Hojo as far as I remember."_

No, she had gone out with a blue eyed Koga once during the summer, but that didn't work out, though he still called her his woman when they chatted from time to time, she thought with a smile. Her best friend, Sango had never known about Koga and their inside joke until a little while ago when they had run into each other in the mall over spring break so she was apt to forget about the small fling.

_"You know, maybe you should get a boyfriend to help you loosen up a little, maybe get laid... or not, but you know you need to do something than school work all the time. All work and no play makes you age faster you know?"_

Kagome sighed and put her pencil down, pushing herself away from her desk thinking that perhaps Sango was right. Perhaps later she would take Sango up on her offer to set her up with one of her boyfriend Miroku's single friends, but that was later and right now she just wanted to clear her head so she could finish her paper. Standing up she walked out of the room snatching her coat from the hook by the door and heading out into the hallway. Responsibly she locked the door behind her and hoped that Sango had remembered her keys today, in case the willful girl should return before she did from her walk.

Kagome waved at the few people who greeted her before stepping out into the glaring orange light of the sunset that was washing over the school grounds. Though, summer was just around the corner the weather in the area had yet to get the hint and so the wind was still bitter; only a breath of warmth tinged the breeze to give hope that any day she could lose the light jacket and finally bust out her cooler and much more cuter tops. Her feet followed the familiar path to the park not far away from camp that she often walked whenever she had too much to think about. She could only sigh as she saw all sorts of happy couples, some old, some young, walking and talking to one another happily.

She knew she wasn't unattractive, but she also modestly accepted that there really wasn't anything especially captivating about her appearance either. Her hair was long and thick and did little more than to lay flat all the way down to the middle of her back, black with a slight undertone of blue which really only accented her blue almond eyes. Her eyes were really the only feature that she thought of as appealing in her otherwise plain heart shaped face. Her body was slim and soft, unlike Sango who worked out quiet often and had a toned and trim body. Sometimes she wondered if she was the ugly friend in their relationship, even though she knew she and Sango were too close for that to be the truth.

Reaching her destination she sat down in the middle of her bench to watch the sun's final displays of the day as she continued to wonder why it is she had only had two men ask her out. The sun lowered and one by one the lights of the city below her hilltop perch came to life, but she was too lost in her own musings to really notice. Taking from her pocket the small pad of paper and tiny pen she kept there most of the time for occasions such as this she began to jot down the beginnings of a poem.

If we were to meet tomorrow,

Would we recognize each other

As the star crossed lovers, we are

Or would we pass on by, forgetting,

What was or what will be?

Past meeting future

Future meeting eternity.

With a growl she tore the page from its spiral holdings before crumpling it up and tossing it over her shoulder without a thought. She heard the paper wad bounce off something, a tree presumably, before it bounced to the ground where she ignored it for a moment. It didn't take long before her more environmental side got to her and she stood and turned to pick up her trash, still slightly frustrated. What she didn't expect was the most beautiful man to be standing there a very expensive looking camera in hand with an annoyed look marring his angelic features. Kagome found she could do little more than to stare open mouthed at the man for a moment before he bent down and picked up the offending wad of waste and unfolding it. Two things happened at once at that moment.

One, she realized that she must have hit him with her worthless dribble.

Two, this god like beauty of a man was reading what she wrote.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" she blurted and was about to apologize further when the angel silenced her with a cold glare that sent shivers down her spine.

"You ruined my shot for this?" he asked stoically, holding the wrinkled page between two fingers.

She had to swallow quickly to relieve her suddenly parched mouth, "Like I said I'm sorry, I didn't even know you were there."

"So you just make a habit of littering then?"

"No! I was getting up to get it just now, but then-"

"So are you just careless, then?" he asked before she had a chance to finish her sentence.

"No, I just-"

"People like you are the reason why this world is falling apart. You're probably one of those spoiled children from the college aren't you? Used to mommy picking up after you and so you don't care to make a mess here either, right?"

"Well, yes, wait no, hey-"

She found that his words stung for some reason as he stepped toward her and his approach quickly silenced any other words she had in her throat. His cold amber gaze settled on her own and she felt her heart begin to race, pounding in her chest. She felt the danger radiating from him, but she also found she was... excited, by this man. This seraph of a man was towering over her his silver hair the only thing moving in the light breeze and somehow she knew that he could kill her in an instant, but something more basic at the back of her mind said that he wouldn't.

"By the way, your writing is appalling. I seriously hope that isn't your major because you will get absolutely no where in life."

He walked away from her dropping the paper at her feet, and it took her several moments to calm her racing heart enough to turn and shout out after him, but he was already gone. She stood there a hand to her heart almost panting from holding the breath she didn't realize she was holding. _Who was that man?_ she wondered to herself. She bent and picked up the crumpled sheet and reread what she had wrote. Really it wasn't that bad, after all it was a rough draft, but she wasn't able to let her thoughts wander further as her phone in her pocket was buzzing with the tone she recognized as Sango's. Sliding the phone open she answered.

"Did you lock yourself out again?"

Sango snorted indignantly, "No, I'm not that irresponsible thank you very much! Where are you?"

"The park down the road. I couldn't think so I came to get some fresh air. Hey while I'm thinking about it, do you think you could do me a huge favor?"

"Sure, what's up?" she sounded confused as she replied, but it also sounded like she was busy doing something else as well.

"Um, I was wondering," Kagome paused when she heard a crash and Sango cuss. "What are you doing?"

"Well, I was _trying_ to change in a hurry. I'm meeting Miroku for a study session at his place," Sango replied though she sounded like she was further away, meaning she had placed the phone on speaker.

"Oh well good then can you ask him to maybe, um, possibly..." she found she was too embarrassed to finish her sentence. "Ugh, just never mind!"

Sango laughed lightly causing Kagome to pout, "Yeah, I'll ask him if he'll set you up on a blind date, don't worry," she laughed again and picked her phone back up switching off the speaker phone as she admired herself in the full length mirror behind their door. "What made you change your mind?"

"Well, I was thinking that maybe you're right, you know?"

"I'm always right, but go on anyway."

Kagome frowned and glared back down at the ground since the speaker was out of her death glare radius, "I'm just burnt out on school, you know, so I thought that perhaps having someone other than you to vent to would be a good thing. A stress reliever."

"I see, I'm just not good enough for you anymore!" Sango teased in a mock hurt voice that Kagome could almost believe had she not known Sango was an actress.

They chatted for a few moments longer about trivial things before getting off the phone as Kagome headed back. Their dorm house was just next door to their school building, contrasting harshly with the antiquity of the school building and the modern dorm. The art department had taken it upon themselves to paint the building as well causing further injury to the injustice in Kagome's own opinion. She felt the ancient building was beautiful, which was one of the many reasons she had decided to come here, so far away from her family, aside from the fact that it produced the worlds most excellent musicians and artists. She was here on scholarship for her academics, but her major was in music, especially the cello, though she could play a wide variety of instruments, including the flute. Her dream was to one day to become famous for her cello playing, maybe even getting into a band like Apoctolyptica, whom she adored.

She sighed slightly relieved and as the sun set behind her she set her mind to thinking about anything but that man she met in the park.


	2. Intro 2: No Title

"There's a polar bear in my fridgidare..."

Kagome only half listened to the small girl recite her favorite poem from her childhood. Absentmindedly she tapped her pencil against her notebook doodling random designs around the poem she was currently working on.

_If we were to meet tomorrow,__  
Would we recognize each other  
__As the star crossed lovers,  
__we are  
Or would we pass on by,  
forgetting,  
What was or what will be?  
Past meeting future  
Future meeting eternity.  
Give me life or give me death  
Losing who we arein the moment  
Lust turning to love,  
or is it love turning to lust?  
Forgetting who we are  
Time, space, does it matter?  
__Forgetting,  
If we were to meet tomorrow,  
Would you recognize me, Romeo?  
This girl your Juliet?  
Forgetting who we are,  
Forgetting your Rosalie, dear Capulet._

Though she had been told that the poem was horrible when she had only written the first five lines. Now sitting in her literature class she had decided that the poem really wasn't that bad and deserved a second look, despite what that handsome and rude man had said in the park, yesterday. Despite her resolve to forget about him, she couldn't.

"Miss Igarashi, would you like to recite your poem please?" the teacher called startling the ebony haired girl in the second row of the classroom.

Kagome nodded and stood taking the place of the last girl who had stood at the podium before her. She took a deep breath as she laid the paper that held her poem and a brief explanation as to why it was her favorite to which she had written one sentence. She looked up and her eyes scanned the sea of faces of her fellow classmates as she recited the poem she knew by heart.

_Do not stand at my grave and weep,_  
_I am not there, I do not sleep.  
_ _I am in a thousand winds that blow, _ _  
I am the softly falling snow.  
_ _I am the gentle showers of rain, _ _  
I am the fields of ripening grain. _ _  
I am in the morning hush,  
_ _I am in the graceful rush  
_ _Of beautiful birds in circling flight,  
_ _I am the starshine of the night.  
_ _I am in the flowers that bloom,  
_ _I am in a quiet room.  
_ _I am in the birds that sing,  
_ _I am in each lovely thing.  
_ _Do not stand at my grave and cry, _ _  
I am not there. I do not die._

The classroom was silent as she moved back to her seat once she was done while her teacher looked at her with shocked confusion apparent on her face. She cleared her throat before calling on Kagome once more.

"Miss Igarashi, I believe the assignment was to recite a child's poem, and that was certainly not a child's poem!" she stated hotly.

"No," Kagome countered matching the teacher's own tone of voice, "you stated that we were to recite our favorite poem from our childhood, not specifically a child's poem."

The teacher opened her mouth to reply a few times before she gave up flustered, "Then tell me why is a bereavement poem your favorite as a child?"

Kagome looked up at her with a warm smile, "Because it was the poem that was read when my father passed away."

Surprise, followed closely by mild embarrassment flashed across the teacher's face before she called onto the next person to recite their poem. Kagome only resumed her sketching now completely tuning out the rest of the classroom. When the teacher dismissed class it was only the movement of everyone in the room to leave that alerted her that it was time to go. She just couldn't help but think of that mysterious man who had insulted her the other day and how much she wanted to prove to him that she wasn't a failure. For some reason having him thinking the worst of herself wasn't sitting right with her and she couldn't just shake off his insulting comments. What she hated most was that she had let him intimidate her so badly that she couldn't even stand up for herself. Growling with determination, she decided that the very next time she ran into him she would definitely give him a good piece of her mind. After all, she was Kagome Aiko Igarashi and she didn't let anyone tell her who she was. Smiling at that thought she realized that if she did then she wouldn't be here, she would be in med school like her mother had wanted. Much to her disappointment she hadn't followed her plans and made her own to fulfill her dream to become a famous musician.

"Kagome! Hey! Wait!"

She turned knowing that voice calling for her from down the hall and wasn't surprised to see her room mate pulling her boyfriend and fellow actor to be down the hall with her.

"Sango," she greeted with a laugh, "what's up? Where's the fire?"

"O.M.G. You will never guess what they just posted up on the drama board!" Sango gushed excitedly.

The drama board was the huge cork board that hung at the end of the drama hall next door to the auditorium. Though it also housed the choir classrooms as well, and aside from the fact that the hall itself only divided the building from the classrooms and the auditorium, it was still referred to as the Drama Hall. Also, unlike the dorms this building was built the same year as the main building of the school so it didn't stick out like a sore thumb, much to Kagome's delight.

"Um, Romeo and Juliet?" Kagome asked thinking about the music she was due to play for the upcoming event that had inspired her latest poem.

Sango shook her head and brushed the comment off with a wave of her hand finally letting go of her out of breath boyfriend, "Aside from that!"

"Um, I don't know," Kagome shrugged. "What?"

"The school is hosting a talent competition!" the brown haired girl gushed jumping up and down excitedly.

"Okay, so? They have that every year, didn't you know that?" Kagome asked with a slight raise of her eyebrow as she turned to walk towards the dorms.

"No, how'd you know that?" Sango asked confused.

"The talent show is open to the public for viewing and is known for attracting certain individuals looking to scout out and hire aspiring people such as musicians and actors," Miroku answered moving to walk so that Kagome was between himself and his erratic girlfriend.

"Oh," Sango said slightly disappointed that she didn't get to surprise her best friend like she wanted to. "Well anyway I was thinking that maybe we should totally enter, you know?"

"And do what?" Kagome asked incredulously. "The damn chicken dance?"

Sango and Miroku laughed, "No, nothing like that, silly. I was thinking we could form a band together, maybe calling ourselves Hyper Beat or something, maybe Shikon."

"Four souls?" Miroku asked confused. "But we're only three people."

"Then we'll just have to recruit someone then! What about your friend, you know the one that you're setting up with Kagome Friday?"

"What?" Kagome asked looked between the two who continued talking as though she wasn't there.

"Him?" Miroku wondered looking at her strangely. "I don't think so, he's probably already got a band."

"Well we'll need a drummer and he's the only on that we know of right now so it couldn't hurt to ask. I'll sing lead with you and Kagome as back up with you on the electric and Kagome on the bass," Sango replied thoughtfully before adding as an afterthought, "That kid comes up with the most wicked beats that we're sure to win with."

Miroku shrugged, "I suppose it's worth a shot."

"So who is this person you're setting me up on a date with?" Kagome asked finally, slightly worried.

"Oh don't worry," Miroku smirked finally remembering they had let the cat out of the bag on that thought, "I assure you he's the perfect gentleman, that is, when he wants to be."

"Yeah Kagome, I wouldn't let you go out with anyone who's worse than Miroku," Sango added with a giggle as they stepped inside the dorm building.

Miroku pouted, but Sango just smiled and kissed him before pushing him towards the stairs that led to the upper deck where the the boys rooms were. Kagome rolled her eyes and continued down the hall to their room leaving Sango to jog quickly to catch up to her. She continued babbling about the talent show with enthusiasm, but Kagome was only half listening. Her mind had drifted back to that angel of a man who had been dominating her thoughts lately. She wondered who he was, thinking perhaps he was a writer, to have been so critical, or perhaps he was just a really mean person. Perhaps he was so used to getting his way because of his looks for so long that he was so egotistical he felt he was important enough to judge others. She frowned as she began to think of different things to tell him how she felt about him if that were the case.

"Hello in there?" Sango called waving a hand in front of her face, snapping Kagome out of her thoughts.

"Huh?"

"I asked what was bothering you?" she replied concernedly. "You've had this look on your face like you're about to strangle someone."

"Oh, sorry," Kagome replied sheepishly as Sango unlocked their door. "I was just thinking about someone I ran into yesterday."

Sango smirked walking into the room, "I want details, was he cute?"

"I never said it was a guy," Kagome replied hotly, but blushing all the same.

"You didn't have to, that blush on your face, says it all," Sango giggled, kicking off her shoes under the foot of her bed and turning to her closet to change into her jogging clothes. "So what's his name?"

"I don't know," Kagome admitted sitting down on her bed heavily with her bag still on her shoulder, her eyes drifting away thinking about him. "He had really long hair that reached nearly to the middle of his back but it was braided, and it was the most amazing color of silver I've ever seen. It was almost like freshly fallen snow in the moonlight, but his eyes were like the sun. A deep rich color of gold that seemed to burn with his passion. He was a photographer, I think, because he had this really nice camera with him, but I noticed bits of paint under his nails when he handed me back the paper wad that I had unintentionally thrown at him," she sighed before falling backwards onto her twin mattress. "Oh and did I mention he was really buff? I mean not like a meat head that spends his days in the weight room but more like you could seriously tell he had muscle. Just looking at him I felt like he could kill me in an instant, but at the same time I just knew he wouldn't."

Sango chuckled in a knowing sort of way as she pulled on her jacket, now ready to go out on her usual evening run, "If I didn't know any better I'd say you were in love, Kagome."

Kagome shot up quickly with a surprised gasp, "I'm so not in love with that man! He was a total prick!"

Sango only shrugged, "Well you were just describing him like a character out a Harlequin romance rather than a prick you met on the streets."

Kagome could only glare out her friend as she quickly left the room. Though the days were beginning to lengthen she still only had maybe a couple of hours to get in her two mile run in before the sun set. Turning her glare out the window she resolved herself to think nothing more of the man, until she saw him again. Suddenly, she had the urge to finish her now over due history report and so she set to work pushing all other thoughts aside.

* * *

I'm really excited about this story as I haven't thought of the ending yet, though I've gotten most of it written, unlike my other story... I've hit writers block and so I dug this up and will be working on it until the jam my muse is in fixes itself. What can I say? That critter gets into some strange pickles. :)

Also, I've already gotten two reviews from BoxingBunny (love your reviews and yes all poetry/songs, aside from the bereavement poem in this chapter will be written by me because I want to be a bit more original than that with this fic) and rougeDevi in just the few hours the first chapter was posted so this one's for you!

Have fun, ja-ne minna!

Oh and P.S. Kagome's name is correct written as it is, but you'll find out why later along with why they're going to be OOCness floating around before too long, just to warn y'all.


	3. Track 1: Evil Angel

Of course Kagome had failed miserably in her sour attempts at removing her Evil Angel as she had began to call him from her thoughts. She had however found that it was easier to push his beautifully haunting eyes out of her thoughts if she had something to occupy her mind with. So she had thrown herself into her schoolwork as well as Sango's ridiculous idea of a band. For the entire week leading up to her blind date with the band's composer and percussionist, she had been practicing with her favorite deep blue electric violin bass. Though it really wasn't the bass that Sango was originally looking for after a few songs she started to like it.

Tonight was her blind date with the elusive Shippo, the real brains behind their band and he had somehow managed to avoid her all week, so she didn't even know what the man looked like or even his last name. He had helped keep her busy though, making her the lyricist for the upcoming talent show. They had two weeks to pull something together and so far they had only managed to decide a name and brushing up on their skills. She sighed and set her guitar aside and moved to her closet instead. She really didn't know what to wear because for one, she didn't know where she was going or what they would be doing. She didn't know to dress formal or casual, warm or light. Would they be indoors or out? What did he like? Frowning in frustration she wondered how it was people found this enjoyable. It was torture!

After a few moment she decided to go for a neutral outfit. She would dress lightly in case they were indoors most of the time where it was sure to be warm, but she would bring her heavy coat and she would wear her most dress casual outfit she could. After a little debating, she pulled out her silver gray stretch dress pants and her pale blue silk kimono top. Tossing the items on the bed she moved to the dresser at the foot of Sango's bed and snatched out her roommates silver-gray lace trimmed camisole. When picking out their dorm for the year they had decided that less space was a sacrifice they were willing to make to not have another random person sharing with them. So here they were for their freshman year in a room just big enough for two twin sized beds, a desk with a rolling office chair, a small dresser and their two closets facing the foot of their beds with their mirrored sliding doors.

Kneeling down to the additional drawers beneath her bed she dug around until she found her most comfortable pair of black and blue lacy boy shorts and the matching bra. She smirked to herself. Even if he wasn't going to see what was underneath her clothes just knowing she was being naughty boosted her ego just a bit.

"The confident woman's secret," she said to herself, remembering when her mother had spoken to her when she first began dating.

She loved her mother more than anything in the world, and thought of her more like her best friend than her mother. She didn't grow up in a strict household, and honestly felt she was better for it. Her mother's motto always was, _"I would rather you tell me or do it in front of me, than behind my back because at least that way I know you're safe." _Kagome admired this about her mother and the amount of trust she was given. She told her mother everything and never once did her mom come down on her for her choices, instead she would give her sound advice on the matter or ask her to rethink things. She said that she didn't want to live her life for her, she had to get out there and have her own experiences and learn from them just like she did when she was growing up. When Kagome told her mom about her blind date her mother only told her to be safe and to no matter what try to have a good time, but if he was a loser to feel free to excuse herself.

A moment later she was dressed and kneeling back down to the drawers under her bed and getting out her small make up case. She didn't wear make up often but decided this time was worth it. Moving and sitting in front of the mirror door of her closet she applied silver metallic eyeshadow, a thin line of eyeliner on her upper and lower lids, and finished off with a pink lip gloss. Pulling her long raven locks up, twisted it into a knot and clipped it into place leaving only her bangs out to frame her face beautifully. Satisfied with her appearance she stood and put the rest of her things away, throwing her pajamas on her bed for later.

"Coming!" she called out taking one last moment to check her appearance in the mirror when a slightly hesitant knock sounded on her door.

"Hi, uh, Kagome, right?"

She stood a gaped for a moment. There on her door step was Shippo. THE Shippo Miyazaki, sophomore extraordinaire. He was famous in all her music classes for being amazingly talented, good looking and smart, but she had always passed it off as the rumors being made by obsessive teenage girls. Of course she had never even met the man, nor even so much as seen him before now, though she now understood where the rumors had started. He was gorgeous with thick reddish brown auburn hair and a set of the most startling emerald eyes she had ever seen. His smile was brilliant with perfectly shaped white teeth flashing from between his soft looking pale pink lips. All in all he was almost as beautiful as her Evil Angel and she hadn't even looked away from his face yet. Blushing she mentally berate herself for thinking of that mean old man at a time like this.

Clearing her throat she answered softly, "Yeah that's me, and you're Shippo right?"

He flashed a brilliant smile again, "No, a lot of people think that, but I'm his twin brother Fred!"

"Fred?" she questioned looking at him deadpanned.

He scowled angrily, "You got a problem with my name? Jesus, you know what?" he asked hurtfully but didn't give her a chance to answer. "You're just like everyone else always judging me before you even get to know me! You come expecting the amazingly stupendous _Shippo_ and you're always so disappointed when you find out that I'm his less than likable twin **Fred**!"

Kagome gaped at him like a fish out of water as he continued his rant waving his arms and raising his voice angrily, causing some of the people in the hall to look at him or poke their heads out their doorways. After a moment she pulled herself together and reached out placing a gentle hand on his arm.

"I'm so sorry Fred," she apologized sincerely. "I didn't know who you were, I mean, Sango and Miroku had told me I was going out with your brother."

_Fred_ grinned, "They were right!" he laughed.

"Right about what?"

Shippo leaned in closer to her causing her heart to skip a beat, "You're a guppy."

It was Kagome's turn to scowl, "Excuse me?" she growled narrowing her eyes at him stiffly.

"I have no twin brother, I was just playing a joke to see if you were as gullible as they told me you were, that or either I'm just that good of an actor," he continued mumbling the last part to himself more than to her as he put a perfectly manicured finger to his lips.

Kagome fumed for a moment at a loss for words, so she did the first thing she thought of. She stepped back and slammed the door in his face. She smirked when she heard the satisfying thud of wood meeting face and with a growl turned away and marched to the desk chair in front of the desk in between the two beds.

"Aw, Kagome!" Shippo whined from the other side of the door. "I was only joking, don't be like that!"

"This guppy isn't going to believe that line!" she called back to him angrily.

He sighed and cracked the door open poking his head inside, "Kags, come on. Don't let that ruin the night!" he pouted giving her the best puppy dog face he could.

She glared at him for only a moment more with her arms folded over her chest stubbornly before the puppy face won out. She sighed and couldn't help but smile at his cuteness. If her Evil Angel was like a seraph then this man was more like a cherub. She just couldn't resist him! Grabbing her purse she took the arm he offered her impishly with a grin and led her out the door.

* * *

She was surprised to actually find herself having a good time as he took her out to a nice dinner at a local cafe where local bands were preforming. She even got to show him the lyrics to the song that she had come up with which he criticized enthusiastically. The lyrics were actually a poem she had wrote a long time ago, but she had worked when she was bored in class to change it into a song. Together as a band played softly in the background they made the poem into what they hoped would be a hit. Being with him was easy and she found that he really was a lovable person. Soon they left and went for a walk downtown where some of the lights were already shining for the upcoming spring festival were lit, casting a colorful light that softened the brightness of the street lamps.

"Oh my, goodness, I can't remember the last time I laughed this much!" she giggled recovering from one of his tales from his childhood. Apparently he was even more mischievous as a child than he was now, always pulling pranks on everyone. "You're such a fox, I bet you drove your mother insane!"

He shrugged his smile fading slightly, "I probably would have, but she actually died when I was born."

Kagome's laughter died in her throat, "Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't know."

"Don't worry about it," he replied with a shake of his head digging his hands into the pockets of his khakis. "If she hadn't passed I probably would have never met the wonderful woman who raised me," he paused and looked at her carefully. "You know, you remind me a lot of her."

She looked taken aback for a moment, "Wow, that's what a girl wants to hear on the first date," she joked. "I'm flattered."

He laughed, "Sorry, I'm not one for thinking before I speak."

"I noticed," she giggled, their light mood returning. "By the way, aren't you cold? It's like forty out here and you don't even have a jacket!"

"Nah, I'm used to weather like this. Back home winters were hell and my step dad used to make me train in it so the cold eventually stopped bothering me," he replied with a shrug as they began to walk again.

"Train? Train for what, catching pneumonia?" she asked with a startled laugh.

He snickered, "See what I mean? I used to say stuff without thinking around her too."

"Oh? What was she like?"

"Gods," he sighed looking up at the stars, "there aren't enough words to describe her! She was the most amazing person that I have ever met. She was so warm and kind, always putting others before herself, especially when she adopted me when my dad passed when I was still pretty small. No one else really wanted me, but when she saw me she practically just picked me up and took me home. We were pretty inseparable after that until she met my step-dad. She never forgot about me but... well enough about me, what about your parents?"

"Oh um," she replied thoughtfully. "My daddy died when I was six so I don't really remember him, so it's just been me and my mama ever since. My mama sounds a lot like the woman who raised you actually, so maybe it's a mom thing," she giggled. "My mama is my best friend and I tell her everything."

"Sounds like we were lucky huh?" he smirked.

"Yeah I guess so," she nodded before she looked out to the road spacing out feeling awash with homesick feelings.

There at an intersection that they were approaching was sitting a nice red car, a corvette specifically. She rolled her eyes when the driver revved the engine a few times impatiently. She heard Shippo comment on the driver being a show off and was about to reply in agreement when she noticed who it was driving the car. There sat Evil Angel, glaring at the light waiting for it to change. She briefly wondered if he glared his icy stare at everything, before the light changed and he took off. Without thinking she let go of Shippo's arm and took off sprinting after the man. She didn't know why, but she just had to see him again and tell him how she felt. It was like there was some pull towards him and she feared that if she didn't tell him now then she wouldn't get the chance. Ignoring the protests of the people she dove around and Shippo yelling after her she ran, defying the myth that said girls couldn't run in heels.

She knew she had one chance to catch him and that was at the last three way intersection at the end of the street. Giving one last burst of energy she darted and hurdled the low safety rail running into the street and right into his path as he took off around the corner. She only had a second to realize that perhaps using herself as a human barrier was a bad idea as the tires squealed and the car coming from the opposite way nearly hit the side of his car. She panted as she glared at the man who mouthed something she couldn't hear, but knew it probably wasn't anything pleasant towards her person before he threw open his door and stepped out. They locked eyes and time seemed to freeze as amber met azure. It had been less than a minute but she had felt something happen between them that she couldn't quite explain as she stood frozen with her arms thrown out panting. She could hear Shippo calling for her as he ran down the street fighting the crowd that she didn't seem to have had a problem navigating a moment ago.

EA looked towards the boy and a look of recognition flashed in his eyes before he turned back to her as the car behind him began to honk impatiently.

"Get in," he ordered getting back into the drivers seat and slamming the door.

She looked at him surprised for a moment meeting his cold glare and heard Shippo yell for her once more as he reached the safety rail. She sent him an apologetic look before she ran to the red corvette and slid into the passenger seat. He didn't wait for her to even buckle her seat belt before he took off, the tires protesting loudly. Shaking she fastened the safety device and attempted to calm her breathing. They rode out of town into an area that she didn't recognize somewhere in the thickly wooded hills that surrounded the small university town. She studied the way that he elegantly shifted gears, but she couldn't bring herself to look him in the face. She did however notice that one hand, the one shifting the gears, seemed paler than the other which confused her slightly as she wondered how a person could tan one hand more than the other and why.

The silence was tense, but once again in his presence she couldn't find her voice and so sat there mutely, in fascinated awe. With his swift speeds it didn't take them long to reach a house at the end of a long gravel drive way. She didn't get a chance to really study the outside of the large estate before he pulled into an attached garage big enough for three cars and then some. He didn't say a word but stepped out and then up the few steps to a door that led him into the kitchen of his home, his silver hair blowing behind him like a perfect super model. Her heels echoed on the floor as she followed after him the moment he disappeared around the corner, leaving the door open for her. She carefully shut it behind her for whatever reason attempting to make as little noise as possible. She walked down the short hallway before turning down the same corner she saw him turn down just a moment ago. Looking around she became slightly worried when she didn't see him in the beautiful and warm kitchen. Suddenly she realized that she didn't know EA at all and for all she knew she was going to die here. Her heart thudded in her chest fearfully and she jumped with a small scream when his voice floated from behind her.

"So now I know why you're so careless," he said as she spun to face him. "You're suicidal." she didn't say anything in response her heart attempting to burst from her chest. "If you want to kill yourself, go ahead the butcher knife is just behind you," he continued motioning elegantly behind her.

"I'm not suicidal," she growled, though she sounded more like a small puppy than anything.

He raised a perfectly arched eyebrow as he reached for the glass of wine beside him and took a sip before he questioned her further, "So you just jump out in front of random cars for sport then?"

"No," she squeaked, her voice cracking causing him to smirk as he sipped his wine again. She quickly cleared her throat and shook her head to clear it, giving herself a mental pep talk. "I wanted to know why?" she demanded.

The smirk quickly fell from his face and his eyes that had just been filled with mirth iced over once more and he set the glass aside, "Why what?"

"Why were you so mean to me before?"

He growled almost inaudibly, but it was still a growl that put her own to shame as he stepped towards her. Instinctively she stepped back her heels the only sound in the room aside from his feral growl. He moved until he had her backed up to the counter between the range and the double stacked oven.

"You ruined my shot," he replied simply.

She snorted her courage growing despite the rapid beating of her heart, "I said I was sorry, but that was still no reason to be so rude."

"You ruined my shot," he repeated, placing his arms on either side of her effectively pinning her as she bent backwards from him carefully.

"You ruined my life!" she blurted without thinking. "Ever since that day I can't get you out of my head."

He smirked but this time it didn't reach his eyes, "Then were even, because I couldn't get that crappy love poem out of my head either."

"My writing isn't crappy!" she defended straightening back up their faces less than a foot away from each other.

"Believe me when I say that indeed it is, woman."

"My name isn't woman either, you jerk!"

He shrugged standing back up straight, "I could care less, however, what I would like to know is the reason for attempting to plaster yourself to my vet."

"I.." she faltered. She really didn't have a reason. "I just... I wanted to give you a challenge!" she declared finally, flying by the seat of her pants. He only raised an eyebrow in response, "If you think that I'm such a terrible writer then come to my concert the weekend after next, where my band will be playing a song I wrote. Then tell me I suck!"

"You're lying," he stated flatly.

"Huh?" she replied intelligently. "How would you know?"

"I can see it in your posture," he said leaning towards her again. "So tell me what's the real reason you're here?"

She felt her train of thought slip as he leaned so closely that she could smell the wine on his breath as well as something sweet that she couldn't quite place. She could only watch her eyes moving back and forth between his molten eyes and his beautiful thin yet inviting lips.

He paused only an inch from her face, "I wanted to see you again," she breathed,

He growled and pushed himself away from her using the counter behind her before he stormed into the other room. Without thinking she followed him and only stood watching him as he tossed himself into a large overstuffed ivory leather chair near the window. She was mildly surprised that even he could make flopping look elegant and suddenly she felt very out of place again.

"Why?" he asked, looking up at her with his head resting on his more tanned hand.

"I don't know," she admitted. "At first it was because you insulted me and that bothered me, but now... now that I've met you again, I can't help but feel like... I know you."

He scoffed, "Woman, you know nothing of me."

"My name is Kagome! KA-GO-ME, not woman, not wench, not _girl_, and certainly **not** bitch or _any_ other colorful title you can think of!" she declared with a stomp of her foot.

His jaw dropped a fraction of an inch as a carefully suppressed memory flooded his mind and he looked at her with utter shock, "What did you say?" he asked in disbelief.

"What?" she asked suddenly worried she had said something else without thinking. "I just said my name."

He shook his head and looked at her with his stoic mask in place once more, "I think it's time you left."

"How do you expect me to do that?"

"I don't care, just leave," he replied looking out at the window and not at her.

She sighed, "Sure just give me the keys to your precious vet out there and I'll be more than happy to be out of your sight."

"The keys are on the counter."

She was so surprised that she took a step back and looked at him as though he had grown three heads, "I was only kidding!"

"I wasn't. Get out, I'll come for the car later."

She would have argued further, but the sound in his voice made her turn swiftly, snatching the keys off the counter and walking back out the way she came. It wasn't so much his tone, but the tone hiding under the emotionless front. She could tell whatever she had said bothered him deeply, on a level she couldn't even begin to understand. Sliding into the driver's side she adjusted the seat for her short stature before starting the engine. Noticing the garage door was shut she looked around for some sort of opener before noticing one clipped to the visor above her head and pressed the button. While the door opened she pulled on her seat belt. Carefully she backed out, thankful that her mother had insisted that she learn to drive a stick.


	4. Track 2: Some Stranger Things

She was met with stares and looks of envy when she pulled back up to school and parked as far as she could away from the other cars. She wasn't about to have to pay for any damages that some idiot inflicted on EA's car. Growling slightly in frustration realizing that once again she didn't get his name, she put the car out of gear and pulled the e-brake. As she reached for the keys to get out her hand hit the small flip down compartment below the custom head unit revealing a small white plastic card. Picking it up she realized it was his drivers license.

"Maru Taisho," she read aloud wondering why the name Maru sounded so familiar.

Shrugging she put the license up and closed the compartment before climbing out. Using the remote she locked the doors and walked into the dormitory her mind still going over her visit with him earlier.

"Kagome! Thank goodness!"

Kagome turned from where she had been about to open her door towards the voice of her forgotten date. Blushing she finally realized that she had totally taken off on him and she really didn't have a good excuse for her actions. He reached her and she felt his emerald orbs looking over her body attempting to find any injuries.

"I'm fine, Shippo," she said quietly. "I'm sorry for running out on you like that."

"What were you thinking?" he demanded worriedly. "You could've been killed! How'd you get here?"

"He lent me his car," she said sheepishly.

"HE WHAT?"

Kagome looked around worriedly as for the second time everyone in the hall was looking to her door curiously. She sighed, "Shippo, why don't you come inside and I'll try to explain everything."

She looked into his face pleadingly and was surprised to find that his face looked more worried than angry. She gave him a small smile and pushed her door open, stepping aside so he could enter first. He entered swiftly his eyes not leaving hers until he was inside. When she shut the door behind her after entering the room herself, she breathed a sigh of relief. He flopped down on the bed much in the same manner EA had at his house and she couldn't help but wonder if they knew each other, but it gave her a chance to finally look at her distressed friend. He had pulled back his shoulder length hair into a messy pony tail and his deep green button down shirt had been unbuttoned to reveal his white tank which was halfway tucked in the waistline of his pants. She caught a glimpse of his toned biceps before he sat up and looked at her strangely studying him.

"See something you like?" he asked with a grin.

"Shut up," she muttered striding over to her desk chair.

It was really only now that her mind had begun to calm that she realized how badly her feet hurt from her sophisticated looking silver stiletto's. With a groan she pulled them off and wiggled her toes happily before she also let her hair down. Now comfortable she turned towards Shippo, who was looking away blushing slightly.

"Sorry," she offered softly.

"For what?" he mumbled back still not looking at her.

"For everything," she sighed. "I can't explain it and I know you have got to think me a completely crazy person."

He turned to her now looking deep into her eyes, "He could have killed you, you know that right?"

"I know, but I just got the distinct feeling he wouldn't, call it a woman's intuition or ESP, but I just felt like he... I don't know. I feel like I know him somehow, even though I've only met him twice in my life, including tonight," she said leaning back in her chair thoughtfully before she rounded on him curiously. "What makes you so sure he was going to hurt me? For all you knew I could have known him!"

He chuckled darkly, "I knew you didn't know him, he's not a very social person."

"So you know him? You know Maru Takahashi?" she was surprised to see how easy his name rolled off of her tongue, but she didn't let it show.

"He's my step-dad."

The sentence hung in the air thickly for a moment. Kagome couldn't find the words to speak, but the look of utter shock on her face spoke volumes. Her shoulders sunk before a blush slowly started to spread over her face. Here she was falling for a man probably old enough to be her own father and was in fact her new best friend's step-dad. She hadn't even thought to look at his age when she checked his name, she felt so stupid as her hands made fists on her knees and her head lowered, her bangs hiding her eyes as hopeless tears started to pool on her lower lids. He sighed and looked at her concernedly.

"You really like him don't you?" he asked placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. She could only nod and he sighed. "Look, I'll go talk to him and return the car."

"No," she shook her head quickly wiped away her tears. "I mean you don't have to talk to him, I'll just... I don't know."

Shippo looked at her questioningly, "What is it Kagome?"

Looking over at him finally she couldn't help but laugh which slightly worried the boy about her mental health, "Do you realize that we're the ones supposed to be dating here and now you're talking to me about some guy I don't even know but am seemingly obsessed with? Isn't this a little strange?"

He smiled, slightly relieved she hadn't just snapped, "Weirder things have happened, I'm sure, but you're avoiding the question here, what's wrong?"

She stared at him for a moment before her eyes moved to the mirror unfocused, "I don't know, you know? I've only met the guy once other than tonight, but somehow I feel like I know him, you know? Like there's a memory of him just at the edge of my senses, but I just can't remember, it's so strange. I can read him, like a book, but I don't know why and I want to go running to him, but again, I don't know why," she sighed and looked down at her hands resting between her knees as she slouched in her chair. "Feel free to call me crazy."

"I wouldn't say it's crazy at all, in fact, you may think I'm actually the crazy one because I think I know what's going on here."

"If you're going to say you think I should be chucked into the nearest asylum then, I'll save you the trouble because I'm half way tempted to do it myself, before I turn into a crazy stalker girl," she laughed bitterly.

He chuckled, "No that isn't what I was going to say."

"Then what is it?"

He met her gaze apprehensively, "What are your religious beliefs? I mean do you believe in karma, yin and yang, and things like that?"

"Well I suppose I don't really have a set religion, per say, I believe in a higher power and in the basic principles of both karma and yin and yang, but other than that I never really questioned things. Mama took me to church a few times but I just got a strange stifling feeling from the people there," she replied thoughtfully.

"What do you know about reincarnation?"

"You can't be serious?"

He nodded, "It fits don't you think? You feel like you know him, but you don't in this life. You can read him, but even I can't do that and you feel unequivocally drawn to him."

"Yeah, but... that's like... like something that could never happen to someone like me," she breathed. "And even if that's true, wouldn't I have like, strange memories and things like that, you know? Like, you hear all those other people claiming that they're reincarnated have? Memories that aren't mine?"

"Everyone is different," he replied, "and not everyone gets their memories back right away. A lot of times something has to trigger them to resurface from your subconscious, or you have to work through serious meditation in order to remember things."

"How do you know so much about this? You talk as though you've been there before," she laughed uneasily.

"I'm majoring in philosophy," he replied flatly with a raise of his eyebrow as though this were common knowledge.

"Oh..."

He stood and readjusted his shirt and buttoned it all the way up until the last three. She watched and realized that she got the same feeling around him too, just not nearly as strong. Concentrating for a moment she could swear she saw a green thread stretching from the center of his chest to her own and she gasped causing her to lose her concentration.

"What?" he asked looking around the room for anything out of the ordinary.

"Oh, nothing, don't worry about it," she said quickly waving his worry away. "I suppose you'll want his keys then?"

He sighed and ran a hand through his unruly bangs, "Actually, just hang onto it, he'll probably still be pissed if I try and talk to him tonight so if he hasn't come and got it by tomorrow evening then I'll return it myself, besides he's got like three of them."

"What?"

"Oops, forget I said anything," he replied quickly. "Uh, I think I hear Miroku and Sango coming, gotta go!"

She stood as he ran out, shutting the door behind him. He had three corvettes, or just three cars? Even if it was three different cars that was still pretty expensive to upkeep, especially considering how meticulously clean and well kept his vet was. Shaking her head she stood up, not wanting to really consider exactly how filthy rich this man probably was and began to change back into her favorite pink and white pajamas bottoms with the matching white tank.

So if she were to believe in Shippo's theory, which she wasn't admitting that she did, that would mean that she was connected to Maru in a past life or maybe even multiple lives, but then why was she here... again... and what did she do in her past life in order to warrant being reincarnated. From what little she knew of reincarnation she knew that usually you had to be bad in order to get reincarnated. Was she some assassin? A thief? A pirate? A murderer? A ninja? A really mean witch who cursed people for fun and entertainment? Perhaps even a ninja pirate? She shook her head again and hoped not because she certainly didn't want to have to spend all of this life atoning for something she couldn't even remember doing. Sitting down on her bed she pulled her notebook from beside her on the desk and removed the pen from it's pink plastic spiral and opened its worn cover to the nearest blank sheet.

Clearing her mind she set the pen to the paper and began to write without even thinking about what she was writing, for the second time that day, she just... reacted.


	5. Track 3: Bag of Cats

A groan filled the room as a hand reached out from her cocoon of blankets and slammed down roughly on top of the offending alarm clock before retreating quickly back into its warm shelter. The tired girl paid no mind to the sound of the door opening and closing quietly, nor to the soft pitter patter of her roommate preparing for the day. Soft humming almost lulled her back to sleep until she heard the jingling of keys which surprised her.

"What are you doing with my car?" she called out, muffled slightly from the layers of blankets and the pillow she had snuggled under.

"N-N-Nothing," Kagome answered uncertainly.

With a sigh Sango stuck her head out and looked at her worriedly, "Kagome, what _are_ you doing?"

Kagome froze mid-step with her shoes in one hand and Maru's keys in the other, with her small favorite FMA tote bag slung over her shoulders. Sango raised an eyebrow suspiciously and sat up, covering her semi-nude form from the chill. With a slightly frustrated growl Kagome tuned on her heel and flopped back down on the edge of her bed. She knew Sango would be curious about the strange keys, but that would mean that she would have to explain running out on Shippo, which she really didn't want to do.

"You're tired, how about I tell you how everything went last night when I get back from practice with Shippo?" Kagome suggested with a slightly forced smile.

Sango yawned, "If you're sure, but you know I'll want details."

Kagome waited until Sango had flopped back down and pulled her blankets back over her head before walking out of the room, locking the door protectively behind her. She wouldn't put it past any of the really perverted boys to try to sneak into a girls room even at this hour (whether he be drunk or sober), and couple that with the fact that Sango slept in only her bra and underwear made for a very protective Kagome. She didn't mind Miroku, mostly because, though he was a lecher and both he and Sango were very _physical_ with one another, they hadn't gone through completely with their actions, that much Kagome knew for sure. Sango trusted the man much to everyone's disbelief, even enough to give him a copy of their room key.

Moving past the double doors she stepped outside happy to find that the weather man had been right for once at the warmer temperature today. She felt comfortable in her knee length cut off gray sweatpants and white scoop neck shirt with long sleeves and a black tank underneath. Her unpainted toes wiggled freely in her flip flops happily enjoying the warm breeze that floated past her as she made her way to the main building to pick up her violin. She and Shippo were working on laying down the background track to their song for the talent show today and she was actually looking forward to it. Picking up one of her favorite instruments was sure to help her forget about his impossibly good looking god of a stepfather, after all there was no way that she was some sort of magical reincarnation seeking out a reconnection with him. That kind of stuff only happened in the movies.

The main building was practically deserted, most of it's students either still sleeping or already out enjoying the warm spring air on their day off. She tucked a stray ebony lock behind her ear from her messy pony tail as she entered the band's storage room and began to search for her instruments. Shippo had said to just bring her violin, but she also wanted to pick up her cello, because she honestly needed to hear it's soothing deep timber. She easily found her favored stringed instrument and opened the case to lovingly check on it before picking it up and moving onto try to find it's harder to find sister. Not many played the cello, but many people played the violin so there was one whole long shelf dedicated to housing them for all the students. Carefully she searched until she found the one with her bright pink bunny sticker that made hers stick out from the rest. She reached for the case until she realized she still had the borrowed keys in her hand.

Curiously she brought them back towards her studying the key with it's few ornaments adorning its ring. A crescent moon hung from a small chain, but next to it was a strange woven strand of what she supposed was hemp that looked to be done by a child, while next to that was just a small pink iridescent marble attached to a silver chain with the word sunset written in Japanese on a little metal plate dangling from the bobble. She shrugged before placing the keys into her bag and quickly snatching her case.

When she was back outside again, she was surprised to find that a small crowd had grown around Maru's car. She dug out the keys again and watched in amusement when they jumped when she hit the small button that unlocked the doors and then the one for the trunk. The boys began to look around wildly, searching for the owner surprised to find it was her. She ignored the stares and whispers as she quickly placed her cases with care into the trunk, more worried about hurting the car than her seemingly missile proof instrument cases.

"You seem to have drawn an awful lot of attention to yourself with this beauty in your possession," a cold voice floated over to her.

She closed the trunk and was only mildly surprised to see Maru leaning almost casually against the passenger side door. Kagome blushed when she heard one of the boys who she had turned down for a date before whisper something rude about her being into older men causing a few of the others to snicker or make sounds of agreement. Growling, she turned on the majority of the crowd behind her, fuming.

"Don't you all have something better to do or is everyone here so pathetic that they have nothing better to do that stare at a frickin' car?"

Surprised at her sudden outburst much of the crowd dispersed but a few lingered stealing a few last envious glances at the shiny red hot rod. Turning back on her heel to face Maru again she was surprised to find that he was moved, now leaning against the trunk beside her. She stepped back slightly, uncertain how he had gotten there without her notice and also because aside from yesterday, this was the closest she had been to him.

"You weren't just thinking about taking off with my car on some frivolous road trip were you?" he asked coolly with a raise of his delicate eyebrow.

"N-No," she stammered, her heart rate beating erratically again from his close proximity. "Shippo said that he was going to call you and tell you to pick it up at his place today."

"Is that so? And just what else did Shippo tell you?" he asked, that strange glint showing in his eyes as he turned his head to look down on her mightily.

She swallowed hard feeling very much like a deer in the sight of a feral predator at that gleam, "He said that you were his step-dad, and that he was very worried that you were upset at both he and I," she inwardly cringed at how soft and nervous her voice came out.

"Is there something between you and my adoptive son that I should be upset about?"

She shook her head without losing eye contact, "No, I was supposed to be on a date with him when I ran off to meet you."

"I see," he moved holding her eyes with his predatory gaze so that he was level with her, "so is it that you find me more attractive than he?"

"I find you, more... interesting to say the least," she replied her voice stronger than before as she gathered up her courage despite the deadly look on his angelic face. "I'm not afraid of you."

He chuckled darkly, but even that sounded like music to her ears just to hear him laugh, "Foolish woman, you don't even know me. How can you say that you are not afraid of me?" Reaching out so quickly that she didn't even have time to realize he had moved she felt his hand around her neck and his breath on her ear, "I could kill you in an instant," he whispered, "yet you would be so foolish as to say that you are are still unafraid?"

"I know you won't hurt me," she whispered back, visibly shaking despite her words of confidence.

His hand tightened around her neck and suddenly he was gone. She gasped when she realized that he was still in front of her but had just crouched down threateningly, growling the most animal like growl she had ever heard come from a human.

"Relax, _Maru_ or you'll blow our cover," a gruff voice answered the growling beast in front of her. She looked up to see a dark haired man crossing the parking lot towards them. "I'm sure your wife there enjoys her human time."

Maru didn't say anything in response, he just stood up, glaring at the approaching loud mouth. Kagome suddenly felt her head spin. Cover? _Wife?_ Human time? _Wife?_ Just what exactly were these people? Wait, _wife? _Sure, they looked like they walked out of some crazy fictional book that she probably read as a child, but they weren't human? That would explain a lot... but if they weren't human then what were they? And as though all that wasn't bad enough Maru had a wife? She was falling not only for a much older man, but a married man at that. Great, just her luck, right? She risked a glance at Maru again only to find his cold amber stare was fixed on her again and it was then she realized she had been thinking out loud.

"Oh shit," she cursed, slapping a hand to her forehead before looking back up at him sadly. "This is the part where I get knocked out and taken some where and either forced to forget or threatened to keep a secret right?" she said with a nervous laugh. "So do you want to toss me in the trunk now or later?"

His gaze didn't soften like it had back at his house, but she did notice his lip twitch ever so slightly in an attempt to smirk at her words. The dark haired man was now standing only a few feet away from them now and could clearly see that the woman with him was definitely not his wife and so he cursed.

"What are you doing with a human wench?" the man nearly shouted. "I thought that was Kagura with you!"

"Next time use your senses along with some common sense before you go shouting out secrets to the world, dear brother," Maru replied deathly, as he folded his arms over his chest.

"Hey you mutt, this human has a name and it's not wench!" Kagome shouted stepping from behind Maru's protective shadow. "What's with you people and not using names?"

"Oi, woman," the dark haired man drawled, putting his hands on his hips childishly. "I wasn't speaking to you so make like a good girl and shut up."

Kagome stomped her foot angrily before striding over to the punk looking boy with his black baggy pants and loose red sleeveless shirt. Grabbing the collar of his shirt he looked at her and his eyes widened in surprised.

"Then why don't you be a good boy and SIT down," she hissed, screaming out the sit command as she flipped the man over and pinned him to the ground with his arm twisted and her foot on his shoulder, threatening to dislocate it in an instant if he tried to move. "Now this human named _Kagome_ would like to know what the hell is going on here?"

She huffed and quickly removed herself from the poor boy groaning on the ground. She looked up at Maru and saw that not only was he smirking slightly, but the warmth had returned to his eyes, however, it was short lived. As soon as he caught her staring, his gaze hardened again and he stood straight from his leaning position and stalked over to his brother. Kagome groaned and put a hand to her head only to find his keys were still in her hand.

"Forget this, I'm going to Shippo's," she muttered, somehow knowing that they could hear her.

She looked to Maru as though asking for permission and he returned her gaze with a slight nod as he dragged the dark haired man up by the back collar of his shirt. Not needing to be told twice, she practically ran to the red machine man named car and got in the drivers seat, tossing her bag in the seat beside her. She quickly backed out and took off just as fast, well as fast as she dared in a car that wasn't hers. Following the directions Shippo had given her earlier that morning she found his condo easily and was parked in his driveway, and she practically ran to his door when he opened it and stepped outside. Without thinking she threw her arms around him and just cried.

"What's going on, Shippo?" she said now suddenly feeling the healthy dose of fear she should have felt long ago. "I don't understand what's happening to me. I'm doing things I shouldn't know how to do and-and, s-seeing things, and-and I'm so scared!"

At first Shippo was stiff with surprise then as he sniffed the air around her. From the scents lingering on her he could guess what had happened. _'The cat's out of the bag I suppose,'_ he thought with a sigh. Lifting the crying girl up into his arms bridal style he moved her into the shelter of his condo, but not before he placed a warning barrier of youki to surround his home. He knew Sesshomaru would notice it and hopefully would give him the time to calm the hysterical woman before all hell broke loose.

"Kagome," he soothed, running his hand through her hair lovingly. "Calm down, it's alright, your safe, your normal, don't worry."

"NORMAL?" she shrieked jumping away from him on the couch he had moved them to. "How is anything in my life normal anymore? I'm attracted to a married man twice as old as me, oh and did I mention the _married_ part? I threw his brother down on the ground using some sort of like NINJA skills that I don't even know, and to top it all off I'm having really strange dreams!"

"What do you mean strange dreams?"

Kagome calmed down wiping the tears off of her face, "It was stupid, don't worry about it."

"Too late, I'm worried, so humor me and tell me about this dream," he said relaxing comfortably facing her with his arm resting on the back of the couch.

"It's embarrassing," she muttered putting her hand to her forehead. "I dreamed that I was in this different world almost. I recognized some of the things there from my history book pining the era to be Feudal Japan. Strange huh?" he smiled encouragingly so she continued.

"Well, I dreamed that I was in a clearing with a bunch of people. Sango was there and so was her boyfriend Miroku, but they were standing next to this giant saber toothed cat with fire on it's paws and they were dressed funny too. Sango was wearing this skin tight body suit with strange pink armor and Miroku looked like a monk. He had a rosary and everything!" Shippo chuckled at her enthusiasm and surprise at Miroku's profession. "Then there was this small boy, well I don't know if I should call him a boy, really... he had this big bushy tail and pointed ears like something out of Lord of the Rings or something you know?"

"Oh really?" Shippo smirked and she nodded.

"Yeah, and there were lots of other people there too, like this man in this weird red thing holding a sword that was bigger than he was but he had these cute dog ears on top of his head that made me want to tweak them," she giggled looking out the front window as she remembered. "Then there was this tall man. He stood beside me wearing armor and this warm fuzzy thing over his shoulder. I remember it was soft because the end of it touched my leg. He had the most piercing gold like eyes and pointed ears and markings on his face; a crescent moon on his forehead and two stripes on each cheek. I remember him most clearly, so I guess he was important to the dream. He looked at me and was about to say something, but all that came out was: _"I gots a friend, my friend's calling me!"_

"What?" he questioned looking at her strangely.

"My phone was going off because you were calling me and I woke up."

"Oh," he replied sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck with a slight blush. "Sorry, I suppose."

"That's okay it was just a dream after all," she said leaning back and looking back out the window. "Hey your step-dad's here with that guy I floored."

"Damn it," he cursed standing up quickly and looking towards the door nervously. "Kagome I need you to go into my room and stay there. Don't come out no matter what!" he looked down at her pleadingly.

"O-okay, I guess," she replied and did as he said quickly.

"Thank you," he whispered as he shut the door behind her turning to face the doom that awaited him outside of his front door.


	6. Track 4: She's Who Now?

Using his quick speed he moved opened the hallway closet and snatched the fabric refresher and quickly sprayed some on the couch to hide Kagome's scent. He knew with as sensitive a nose as Sesshomaru, the little that he did spray would throw his senses for a while. He put the bottle back up and was reaching for the door just as the two new guests walked in.

"Where's the girl?" Sesshomaru demanded flatly.

"She left," Shippo shrugged moving aside to let the two in. He nodded to the second man, "Inuyasha, it's been a long time."

"Seems you haven't changed much in fifty years," the dark haired Inuyasha replied looking around the living room.

"Why fix what isn't broken?" Shippo smiled closing his front door.

He hadn't really changed his style much throughout the ages. The couch was in the middle of the room acting as a divider for the dining room that led into the open yet small kitchen. The oval coffee table was solid glass aside from its black metal base with matching side tables. One side table sat on each side of the couch with one in between the recliner and the couch making a sort of L shape with the bottom facing the door. The television was in the corner on a neatly arranged corner entertainment center that also housed all of his electronic gaming systems. The corner opposite that was the only disorganized area of the house being where he spent most of his time, his computer.

"Where is she?" Sesshomaru repeated sniffing the air before turning on his adopted son.

"You guys really scared her," Shippo replied dodging the question as he dug his hands in the pockets of his khaki cargo pants. "When she got here she started crying all over me."

"Why?" Inuyasha asked confusedly.

"She's awakening," Shippo said not looking at Inuyasha but keeping his emerald gaze trained on Sesshomaru. "You know it's her Sesshomaru. You know it as well as I do."

"That is not her! She is in hell, _boy_ and it's time you learned that instead of looking for her like some lost child!" Sesshomaru growled. "She's not coming back."

"Bullshit!" Shippo growled right back stepping towards the statuesque man. "You know that's the same woman who died 600 years ago! Otherwise would you have not gotten as close to her as you have?"

"Back down, kit, remember who you are speaking to."

Shippo dropped to his knees and bared his throat, but he still glared up at his stubborn father figure, "Why are you being so senseless?"

With an authoritative snarl Sesshomaru was on Shippo in seconds, pinning him on his back to the floor by his neck with his knees still under him uncomfortably, "It is you who has taken leave of his senses, _boy_, that woman you speak of was a suicide! There is no return for souls like her!"

Shippo gasped, "I don't believe that... she would never... Mama couldn't leave me..."

Sesshomaru finally loosened his hold on the boy seeing the serious look in his eyes, "What makes you so sure this woman is the reincarnation, hm?"

"Talk to her," Shippo said simply, sitting up slightly, Sesshomaru's hand still around his neck. "She sounds just like her and she's starting to remember even."

They didn't get much of a chance to say more on the matter as a loud thud and crash was heard from the master bedroom. Inuyasha was first to the door throwing it open quickly, followed by a worried Shippo. He gasped when he saw Kagome on his bedroom floor, his bedside lamp broken beside her and a river of blood pouring down her forehead and over the side of her face. He cursed and moved to her side, checking carefully for any other signs of injury aside from the cut on her head. He reached out to touch her but hesitated afraid, memories coming to surface in his mind.

"Move," Inuyasha commanded gruffly, pushing the trembling man back and picking the small girl up, "Sesshomaru you're better at this than I am," he called walking straight to the small bedroom.

"What happened?"

"Looks like she fell into the bedside table and banged her head pretty good with the stupid lamp," Inuyasha replied laying her down in the bathtub carefully. "I'll go take care of the kid."

Sesshomaru nodded as he looked the girl over. Of course there were similarities between his first mate and this girl. They both had long black hair and warm blue eyes, but to him that's where the similarities ended. This girl was more petite, and her face was more defined with a slightly narrower nose and higher cheek bones. As he cleaned the wound on her head he took the time to notice other key differences in this woman. Longer more slender and delicate looking hands. Stranger sense of dress, admittedly far more modest than his mate's had been. She was also taller and slightly less defined in her chest area not to say that her figure wasn't pleasing to the eye, but he had long since come to accept the fact that the body of his first mate was the only woman's body that would seem perfect to him.

He was just placing the band-aid over her head when she finally began to stir. Her cerulean orbs fluttered into awareness and she only smiled when she saw him. He looked down at her his emotionless mask in place and did nothing to stop her as she sat up keeping her eyes on him. She warmly placed a hand on his cheek after brushing her fingertips over where the mark of his heritage had once been placed. He noticed that her movements were not her own; it was as though she were possessed by some unknown yet familiar spirit.

"Love, what has happened to you?" she asked with a smile.

"I could ask you the same thing," he replied coldly.

She looked confused for a moment before finally becoming aware of her surroundings, "Sesshomaru, what is this place? How did we get here?"

"You fell and hit your head woman. Do you not remember?" he asked still staring at her coldly.

"No, the last I remember was the funeral," she replied whispering the last word of her sentence. "Everything is fuzzy, though, did something else happened? What happened to the palace? The children? Where is Rin and Shippo?"

"What are you talking about?" he questioned finally pulling away from her.

"Sesshomaru? What is going on where are the chil-children..."

He caught her as she collapsed once more and stared at her limp form in his arms slightly confused. Picking the woman up he moved her from the tub to the living room laying her across the couch. Inuyasha was already reclined in the chair while a pale Shippo sat in his computer seat staring at the blank screen passively. The tense silence filled the air so thickly that as the saying goes they could have cut it with a knife, but no one wanted to be the first to break it.

Finally it was Inuyasha and his impatience that won out and asked the question that had been bugging him since he first arrived, "What the hell is going on here?"

Shippo didn't turn to look at the two men as Sesshomaru answered, "She is indeed a reincarnation, however," at this Shippo turned excitedly to face him, "she's awakening faster than her body or mind is ready for."

"I figured as much when she collapsed in there," Shippo muttered.

"What you mean, this girl here is the same Kagome we knew 600 years ago? Like Kikyo?" Inuyasha asked sitting up in his chair.

Sesshomaru nodded as he looked down on her face sleeping peacefully, "She doesn't remember anything of what happened so I suggest we take our leave of her and introduce ourselves slowly."

"Then you guys should probably head out, before she wakes up," Shippo said standing up as she stirred uncomfortably showing signs of waking. "Ah, crap, I don't know what she did with your keys though."

"Don't worry, tell her I'll come to collect on it later," Sesshomaru replied softly, brushing the girls ebony locks away from her face.

"If you say so," Shippo shrugged.

"Wait a second!" Inuyasha declared angrily jumping to his feet. "You mean you're going to let some klutzy ass girl drive the vet but _I_ can't so much as touch it?"

"Cease your whining," Sesshomaru ordered coldly walking out the door with an angry Inuyasha on his heels.

"But that's _so_ not fair!" Inuyasha argued pulling the front door closed behind him.

Shippo watched as they took off suddenly disappearing off of his front porch, before returning to the side of his young ward. He was right to send them away when he did because a few moments later her eyes fluttered opened for the first time actually seeing her surroundings.

"Oh my head feels like a ton of lead!" she groaned placing a slender hand to her forehead.

Shippo chuckled, "It should, you took a pretty nasty fall there, you had me worried."

"What happened?" she questioned looking around.

"What was the last thing you remember?"

"Your step-dad and that strange man walking up to the house."

"Well, he was pretty mad so I sent you into my room so I could talk to him, but you apparently tripped and fell," Shippo said easily.

"Oh, was he mad about the car?" she asked sitting up worriedly.

"Nah, he said to keep the car, he was just mad at his brother for coming home unannounced."

"Keep the car?" she questioned with a raise of her eyebrow that made her wince and rethink moving her facial features. "That strange man was his brother? He said something about Maru having a wife and enjoying her human time. What did he mean by that?"

Shippo didn't seem fazed outwardly but inwardly he was cringing at Inuyasha's loud mouth, "Ah, well he's actually supposed to be in a home, you see. That's one of the reason's Maru was so upset, that he wasn't told that Inuyasha was coming to stay for a little while."

"So is there something like seriously wrong with him?"

"Sort of, he's got this problem where he thinks we're all demons and fight bad guys," he replied sadly, thankful he'd had years to practice his acting skills. "They got him on medication and things but sometimes things still slip out, you know?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't know," she said reaching out for his hand.

"It's all right I guess," he shrugged before looking out his window again. "That's kind of why Maru wants the car away from the house. He's very protective of it and doesn't want Yasha near it."

"Yasha?" she snorted in disbelief. "No wonder the kid was messed up, with a name like that."

Shippo laughed lightly with her, mentally slapping himself for not thinking of a better name, "I know, I know, but hey, are you ready to record now?" he asked hoping to move her mind off of his dysfunctional family.

She visibly brightened and quickly moved to stand, but immediately regretted her quick movements as her world started to spin. Shippo reached out and steadied her again and she smiled at him thankfully with a small laugh of embarrassment. He let her go and she walked carefully out to the corvette and snagged the keys out from the ignition before hitting the button on the clicker to pop open the trunk. Grabbing out both cases she carefully shut the trunk again and locked the car back up. Shippo had cleaned up the desk area some what by the time that she had come back inside and looked at her with surprise when she set down her large cello case.

"What's that one for?" he asked pulling his headphones down around his neck.

"It's my cello," she replied with a smile as she opened the case to show him. "Its my favorite and I didn't know if you would like to perhaps get a little of that in the recording as well."

"I didn't really plan on it," he said thoughtfully, "but the deeper tones would probably sound better with the rock theme were going with here." He turned in his chair to the side facing away from her and rummaging through a stack of papers. "The only problem is that I wrote the song for the violin."

"No problem," she shrugged shutting the case back up. "Let's lay down the track for the violin first and if we want to toss the cello in as well we'll improvise."

"I like the way you think," he said with a smirk as he turned back to her with a few sheets of music.

He had a stand already set out for her with the microphone attached at the top in front of another swiveling chair. Taking the time to tune everything carefully she looked over the sheet music in front of her. She gave the nod to Shippo who started the recording program and soon she was lost in the music.


	7. Track 5: Confrontational

"So what the hell just happened back there?" Inuyasha asked as he and his older half brother walked into Sesshomaru's large home.

Sesshomaru didn't answer at first. He himself, was still thinking over the events that had transpired at Shippo's especially when he had been left alone with the girl. There wasn't a doubt in his mind now that the girl was indeed his first and only mate, however, he couldn't understand how and why she had been reborn. Seating himself down on his favorite chair he waited as his brother raided the refrigerator as usual. A few minutes later the younger half brother emerged his concealment spell gone, and flopped down on the couch, placing his full plate of leftovers in front of him on the coffee table.

"I don't believe that Kagome has been reincarnated as she was before," Sesshomaru said finally, releasing his hold on the spell that hid his own demon traits.

"What do you mean?" Inuyasha asked his dog ears perking on top of his head curiously.

Sesshomaru shifted and crossed his legs more comfortably, "When she was reincarnated as Kikyo, she held no memories of ever being Kikyo, in fact she acted exactly the opposite of the priestess."

"Yeah so?" Inuyasha prompted still not understanding where he was going.

"This girl, ironically named the same as before, acts at times almost identical to our Kagome before she fell into the well, if not a bit more mature."

"They also look almost exactly the same too," Inuyasha commented. "But that's all circumstantial, that doesn't really mean she's our Kagome, you know?"

"She spoke to me of the past, which I found to be highly unusual for reincarnations as we know them."

"When? I thought she was knocked out the whole time."

"When I was tending to her wound," Sesshomaru replied looking out the window to the afternoon sun. "_She_ awoke briefly."

"Well she must have said something to convince you, what'd she say?" Inuyasha replied around a mouthful of spaghetti.

"It was **my** Kagome," he said his voice softening to an almost whisper. "She said the last thing she remembered was the funeral."

Inuyasha froze his fork halfway to his mouth before sliding his gaze over to his brother. Sesshomaru looked emotionless outwardly but anyone who could read his eyes could tell that he was hurting inside as he stared out at the trees waving in the warm breeze, his head resting on his fist the other in his lap. Placing his fork back down and pushing his plate away Inuyasha folded his hands, his elbows resting on his knees.

"She didn't remember what she did after?" he asked his voice sounding forced.

"She said everything was too fuzzy, she couldn't remember."

Inuyasha jumped when he heard the door leading to the garage slam shut a few moments later followed by the sound of high heels on the tile stalking angrily into the house. A few moments later a fuming Kagura was seen entering the living room. Her red eyes were focused solely on her husband as she crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot impatiently.

"Where the hell have you been?" she growled.

"Away from you obviously," Inuyasha snapped back glaring up at her.

"I wasn't speaking to you halfbreed, besides what are **you** doing here, don't you have some dead to put to rest?" she snarled turning on him.

"First off, bitch, what I do is really none of your concern," he said rising to his feet slowly, his hands turning into fists at his sides. "Second I don't need your fucking permission to stop by for a visit, because last time I checked your _husband_ was alpha, not you."

"How dare you insult me, you disgusting mongrel?" she growled pulling her fan from the sleeve of her white blouse. "I'll dispose of you here and now!"

"Enough!" Sesshomaru barked jumping to his feet. He was in no mood for useless antics, "Kagura, I want you in the office, now."

"But Sesshomaru," she protested, but his warning growl cut her off and she moved quickly to do as he commanded.

"You, stay here," he ordered further turning his glare on his still tense younger brother.

Inuyasha shrugged before flopping back down on the couch and returning to his cold food. Before he even reached the hallway that led to the office and the bedrooms of the house he heard the halfbreed turn the TV on tuning in some sports channel on the satellite. Kagura was sitting steaming, with her back to him in one of the chairs in front of his desk and she didn't bother to even acknowledge his presence, ignoring him even when he moved in front of her to sit down.

"Speak," he commanded, leaning back in his leather chair comfortably.

She finally glared at him, but her gaze soon softened when he only responded indifferently, "Why haven't you been answering my calls?" she asked softly. "I've been trying to reach you for nearly a week now."

"I have been preoccupied," he answered simply. "Why is it you are here? Last we spoke you said that you would be in New Zealand for a least another two weeks."

"Actually I finished the shoot a few days ago and they let me come home early. I wanted to surprise you, but I came home to an empty home and not even Jaken could tell me where you had run off to," she said her voice gaining a little more force as her anger crept back up.

He turned his head slightly, "Why would you wish to do such a thing?"

She looked slightly aghast, "What do you mean? Why wouldn't I want to surprise you? Sesshomaru you're my husband!"

"In law only, or have you forgotten the deal that we made when I agreed to this?" he asked his freezing gaze narrowing on her.

"Of course not, but I thought-"

"You thought that perhaps this arrangement would grow into something more?" he demanded.

"I thought that perhaps after all these years you would finally move on!" she blurted out before he had a chance to interrupt her again. He growled and raised his eyebrow at her but she still pressed on, "You know as well as I do that she isn't coming back, but I'm here. I've been there for you even before her and I've given you everything I could, including our son!"

He rose to his feet sharply, "Kagura, let me remind you that I forewarned you that any reciprocation of feelings would not be a part of this relationship. You have chosen to remain by my side of your own free will, which you pride yourself on maintaining in this _marriage_, when the contract we signed clearly stated that you were free to leave once my heir was secured."

"Ken'ichi, is more than your heir, Sesshomaru! He's your son!" she protested her voice raising.

"You would do well to leave well enough alone, woman, I have provided for him as a father should," he snarled.

"In material things, perhaps, but a being needs love as well!"

"That is what a mother is for, do you not love him?"

"Of course I do, but-"

"Then that should be enough, now I believe this conversation is over."

She growled moving to her own feet, "The hell it is! What the fuck is your problem? Did she kill your emotions as well when she killed herself?"

"Leave. Now."

"Sesshomaru, you're being ridiculous! She didn't want you anymore, why can't you move on?"

"That's not the real question here is it?" he snarled, leaning over with his hands on the top his desk on either side of the oversized calender that sat in the middle. "I forewarned you Kagura, that there would be no love to this relationship not then, not now, nor **ever**. You are a tool to me, to be used as I please to produce my heir which you have done, your choice to stay has been your own."

She fell into her seat again heavily, with tears shimmering in her eyes, "Why, though?"

"My reasons are that of my own and you did not seem to question them before you bound yourself."

She didn't say any more but just stood and left. He didn't attempt to call her back nor did he admit that some small part of him felt bad for treating her so harshly. He had attempted to deal with her feelings in as nice of a way as he could for the better part of the past 500 years they had been married, however, his patience did have its limits. Reseating himself he turned and raised the blinds of the picture window that overlooked the small well kept garden, now in bloom and it wasn't long before he was lost in his memories. Soon, he would have to relive them all, including the very memory he had tried for so long to forget. The funeral.


	8. Track 6: So Not Your Fairytale

"So he's letting you keep the car?"

"I told you it's just until his brother is out of the house, besides the guy doesn't even seem to like me."

Sango looked at her adoptive sister as the girl did her best to avoid her gaze a blush hot on her cheeks, "Oh, but you like him, a lot don't you?"

"He's married!" Kagome retorted, whipping her head back around so quickly she felt a little dizzy.

"So?" Sango snorted. "A ring doesn't plug no hole."

"Miroku is beginning to rub off on you a little _too_ much," Kagome sighed returning her gaze out onto the road in front of her.

They were just outside of the school as Sango stretched for her usual evening run. She had bombarded Kagome almost as soon as she had parked the car demanding details. Reluctantly she had began her tale as they had put up her instruments again and Sango had changed. Now when she had just finished, Sango wanted to have a Q&A session, when all Kagome wanted to do was sleep off the monster headache she had from the tumble she had taken earlier today, which, she _still_ couldn't really remember doing. She sat on the seat of Sango's mountain bike waiting for her companion to begin.

"What I mean is that he must not be happy in his marriage if he keeps giving himself an excuse to come see you," Sango amended. "After all couldn't he as easily given the car to Shippo?"

"Yeah, I suppose so," Kagome admitted thoughtfully. "Hey wait how did you know Maru was Shippo's stepfather?"

"He's mentioned it before," Sango replied quickly, "and quit changing the subject!"

"Sorry."

Sango took off at an easy pace so she could still talk while Kagome pedaled slowly beside her, "So you really do like him?"

"I don't know..." Kagome trailed. "I mean he's like the absolute most beautiful man I've ever met but aside from his name which I found out from his driver's license, of all places, I don't really know much about him."

"You don't have to know a lot about a person to know if you like them you know?" Sango replied with a smile. "There is such a thing as love a first sight."

It was Kagome's turn to snort in disbelief, "Yeah right, that's only in fairy tales."

"It happened between Miroku and I."

"Oh really?" Kagome questioned looking over at her sideways. "So that's why you turned him down for almost three months?"

Sango smirked, "I wanted to be sure he wasn't just trying to bed me, but yes, we knew almost from the time we met that we were meant to be. It was like we both knew each other in a past life or something you know?"

"That's how I feel with Maru..."

Sango studied the girl for a moment, "Do you get the feeling from Shippo too?"

"Yeah, but it's not the same," Kagome admitted thoughtfully, studying the colorful sky as the sun set in the distance behind the trees and buildings in front of them. "It's like I know him but not in a lover like way, which is something we talked about today."

"What do you mean?"

"Well he told me that he thought we were better off as friends," she said blushing slightly, remembering the slightly awkward talk they had shared before she left his condo. "I reminded him too much of his mother."

Sango stopped short and gaped at the girl who stopped a few feet ahead of her and looked back with a slight pout which turned into a glare when Sango burst into laughter.

"Wow," Sango said after she was finally able to control her laughing fit, wiping a few tears from her eyes. "Just the way you said that was hilarious!"

"It's not funny!" Kagome insisted. "Do you know how humiliating that was?"

Sango shrugged, "You're the one in love with his dad."

"I am not!"

"Sure you aren't," Sango said bored, with a roll of her eyes as she began to jog again. "If you like him you like him, you can't help that. The heart is a fickle thing being led by a blind woman who's more stubborn than a mule."

"But Sango, he doesn't even like me!" Kagome protested further. "He's always so mean when he's around and just insults me!"

"Boys pick on girls they like or did you forget about Haru from the fourth grade?"

"We're not in the fourth grade anymore, things aren't that simple. Besides, I never said I liked him, I just want to prove him wrong!"

"Wrong about what?" Sango wondered. "About marrying the wrong girl, perhaps?"

"No! About my poetry!" Kagome answered angrily. "I want to show him that I am a good writer and an even better musician!"

"Sure, that's why you're practically obsessed!"

"I am not!" Kagome yelled slamming on the brakes of the bike. "I can't be in love with a guy I've only just met!"

Sango stopped beside her and looked into her eyes knowingly, "But you don't really think that do you?"

"What do you mean?" she huffed.

"You said it yourself, Kagome, you feel as though you've known him for years, though you haven't."

"Have you been talking to Shippo about this?"

Sango shrugged, "A little," she admitted. "He was worried about you when he left last night and called me, but don't tell him I told you so."

"So he told you about his theory as well?" Kagome asked softly to which Sango nodded. "Stuff like that only happens in the movies or in fairy tales, besides, don't you have to do something really bad to get reincarnated? Would I have honestly have gotten myself a man like Maru if I was horrible enough to warrant reincarnation?"

"Sometimes people are reincarnated for a purpose, not just because they were bad people. I think this is something perhaps you should meditate on for a while, you know? Try to get in touch with the inner you, the one who knows Maru and is causing you all this trouble," Sango said with a caring smile. "You might just be surprised at what you'll find."

Kagome regarded her suspiciously, "Jesus, Chiyoko! You're starting to sound just like Shippo now. Like you know something I don't."

"I know a lot of things, sister dear," Sango replied mischievously, ignoring the fact Kagome had used her hated first name. "However I won't tell you a thing until you're ready."

"Ugh, fine!" Kagome groaned turning the bike around. "I'm going home!"

"Have fun!" Sango called with a laugh.

Kagome only flipped her the bird without so much as a backwards glance. Sango only sighed and turned to continue her run. She knew exactly what the girl was going through because she herself had been through what was commonly known as an awakening, almost a year ago now when she first met Miroku. He of course had been partially awakened, by Shippo, his childhood friend, but hadn't remembered her until they met. Together he and Shippo had helped her come to terms with her subconscious and though, neither of them could remember everything, they remembered each other clearly.

She knew he had been a monk in his past life, the very same one he had named himself after who had helped to defeat a terrible evil that had fallen over Japan. She had been there with him back then in the feudal era as a demon slayer. They had a laugh when they realized that a part of them knew all along who they really were because of their aversions to any name but what they called their true names. Miroku was really named after his father, Shigure Kyou Togashi, but had decided at the age of eight after a field trip to a Tokyo shrine that he would be known as Miroku and become the greatest monk of all time. Though he had grown out the dream of _"monkhood"_ around about the same time he had hit puberty, the name he had insisted on being called for the past few years had stuck, though he didn't mind. She on, the other hand, much like Kagome had been born with her name, however it was really only her middle name, her full name being Chiyoko Sango Takeuchi, named after her parents' mothers, despite the fact that the names didn't fit well with one another.

Kagome was the only one who had been ironically named after herself, most likely through a divine intervention. Kagome's mother, Satsuki Igarashi, had always said that when she was young (before she had begun her hippy trippy days), that a bright light had come to her and told her that she would one day be blessed with a little girl and she would name her Kagome. Satsuki had believed whole hardheartedly in that prophecy and wasn't shy about telling everyone she met, much to Kagome's embarrassment.

Sango frowned as she picked up her pace frustrated. Of course she remembered the Kagome of the past, but not a whole lot and even with her talks with Shippo she felt as though there was something she were missing. She remembered that Kagome had died, but not how, and somehow she felt that was the key to figuring out why they were denied eternal rest and all brought here once more.


	9. Track 7: Stage Magic

Despite the group wide effort to figure out what fate was playing at with their past lives, they had been forced to push everything aside in preparation for current events, namely the talent show that they had spent the entire week practicing for. They had all agreed to get ready at Shippo's and go from there to the show, which is where they currently were nervously gathered in his living room. Shippo was at his computer which had become messier than usual despite Kagome's tittering and futile attempts at organizing things, much like his mother would have. He had his headphones on and was going over the background track again, further perfecting the work that he and Kagome had worked hard to lay down together. The girls were in the floor with Kagome fussing with Sango's hair and make up, while Miroku was off in a nearby corner meditating, a habit he found he had continued from his own past life.

"There!" Kagome declared happily after dousing Sango in a cloud of hairspray. "You're all done!"

Sango finally opened her eyes and looked herself over in the mirror. She grinned and nodded her head, "Perfect as always Kags!"

"I know," Kagome replied getting up from her knees and haughtily brushing off her shoulders. "I'm awesome like that!"

Sango laughed and continued to admire her dazzling appearance. Her dark hair was highlighted in bold fuchsia stripes that Kagome had twisted into what was a very modern rendition of a traditional geisha hairstyle. The front half of her thick hair was twisted and tied into a top knot with ornamental pins holding it in place covered in jewels in striking emeralds, yellows, and sapphires. The rest of her shoulder length hair was left down and curled slightly in light, loose ringlets glittering with gold glitter lightly. She had kept her make-up minimal, highlighting her eyes in varying shades of pink accentuating their almond shape with black eyeliner and defined eyebrows. The hollows of her cheeks were highlighted with a natural color to make them appear more defined while her lips were colored a pale pink that only balanced her face out with the emphasis on her eyes to bring out their beautiful golden brown hue.

Her outfit was an original construction that she had put together herself after modding a few of the outfits she had already in her closet. Keeping with the modernized traditional look she was wearing a black silk one shouldered shirt that looked like the top half of a formal kimono, with an bright magenta obi that hugged her waist, while the bottom of the kimono top went all the way to her mid thigh flaring out more like a skirt than the bottom of her shirt and lined on the edge with the same color silk of her obi. Her pants were loose and was made from black sheer fabric layered over a bright magenta silk that reached to the middle of her calf. She finished off the ensemble with a pair of black wedges that tied around her ankles, making her well defined legs look even longer.

"You really do look amazing Sango," Shippo said with a grin looking over at her with his headphones hanging off one ear.

"You don't think that it's too much?" Sango asked worriedly, pulling at the top of the shirt to make sure she wasn't going to have a wardrobe malfunction.

"You're perfect," Miroku commented having cracked one eye open to look at her. "Don't worry, if anything we'll win simply because of your beauty."

Sango stopped fretting then and turned to smile happily at her lover, "You're a freaking cheese puff, you know that, right?"

As the couple continued to banter Shippo took the moment to walk up behind Kagome who was fussing with her own hair which she had done in a style much like Sango's but less elaborate. He took a moment to admire her outfit which was like Sango's only more modest and blue where Sango's was pink. She had highlighted her hair with silver highlights that painfully reminded her of Maru and pulled her hair completely up into a loose knot that she adorned with a simple pair of ornamental hair sticks that had a crescent moon hanging from one and the other with a small dog that looked like he was turning a growling looking at her from its position on her head. She didn't really know why she had picked out that particular pair for tonight, but for some reason they made her think of Maru and that gave her more confidence than the black lace bra and garter set she was wearing under her outfit. The top was a full folded kimono and the obi was short and was tied so that it didn't dangle at all.

"Kagome, you look beautiful too you know?" Shippo whispered, touching her arm affectionately.

She smiled almost sadly looking up at him from the full length mirror they had propped against a wall between the door to the bathroom in front of her and the garage door to her left where the corvette sat safely tucked away from the sure to be full parking lots of the school.

"Thanks," she replied softly, not really knowing why she was whispering as well.

"Don't worry, he'll be there," Shippo winked, before turning back to his work at the computer.

Kagome felt her heart flutter, just thinking about the silver haired angel watching her on the stage. She worried that perhaps her confidence was overrated and that perhaps her song really did suck despite her friends protests that it was amazing. Would he tell her that it was horrible? Would he look at her with that icy golden glare and tell her how awful she was as a writer and a musician? Would she really depend on opinion and since when? She sighed and placed a hand over her rapidly beating heart in a vain attempt to calm the fluttering organ, but when she looked up and met her own gaze in the mirror she could only gasp as a vision pulled her mind to another time.

_She stood in front of a mirror in a large ornate room like that of traditional Japanese royalty from the feudal era. She stood and a tall man with long silver hair stood behind her with a warm smile on his face as he wrapped his arms around her. She watched him happily as he watched her with one hand reaching up to his face while the other rested around her waist on top of his large hand spread across her abdomen. She studied his face and with another jolt of surprise she realized who the man was as she felt another pull in her mind, this time back to reality._

"Kagome? Kagome? Can you hear me?"

She screamed in surprise and jumped from the arms that held her as she opened her eyes. She spun around and tensed herself into a crouch ready to fight something before she realized where she was and what she was doing. She shook her head in a vain attempt to wash away the image of the man she loved holding her as she let herself fall backwards into the corner of the wall between the garage and bathroom beside the mirror someone had moved. Tentatively Sango reached out for her sister and pulled her into her arms comfortingly.

"What did you see Kagome?" she asked knowingly.

"I don't know," she breathed still stiff and staring off into space. "What's happening to me?"

Sango pulled the girl back from her shoulder and looked into her eyes, forcing her to focus on her, "Kagome, you've been reincarnated and whatever you just saw was a memory from that life and I know this because... I too have been reincarnated."

Kagome only looked at her confusedly before looking over at Miroku bewildered, "She's right, I'm sure that she's discussed our relationship with you and how we both feel as though we were meant to be," he waited for Kagome to nod in response. "This is because in our past life we were married. We lived as simple folk, raised a big family, grew old and then died together."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Kagome stammered finally pulling away from Sango fully and sitting back on her haunches. "So you mean to tell me we're all reincarnated or something like some fucked up fictional story?"

"Well that's one way to look at it," Shippo said blatantly. "You three are a very rare bunch, but spirits such as yourselves are naturally drawn to one another."

"So what the hell does that make you? The Easter bunny?" she demanded harshly, earning her a few laughs from the others.

"No," he drawled with a shake of his head and a mischievous smile. "I'm immortal!"

"Great and I'm a fairy princess," Kagome muttered pulling herself to her feet. "So what did we all know each other way back when?"

Shippo nodded, "We did but you'll have to figure everything else out on your own! If you start to awaken too quickly it can cause a sort of split personality thing with you and your subconscious past life instead of melding into the person you are."

"This is so screwed up!" she mumbled with a shake of her head before noticing the clock on the wall. "Ah, what time is it?"

Miroku looked down at his watch, "Uh, time for us to leave, like five minutes ago."

At that everyone remembered why they were there to begin with. Setting off around the room to gather their things in a panic they then set off out the door and into Sango's Sportage, piling their gear into the back. Miroku drove weaving them carefully through traffic and the already filled parking lot until they parked in Sango's reserved spot on the dormitory side of the school. Together they made a mad dash, equipment in hand to the auditorium where the show was just beginning. They sat down and struggled in Kagome's case to catch their breath as the host welcomed everyone and began to introduce the first act.

Kagome felt her nerves returning and so had Sango's. Pushing all other thoughts from their minds. Shippo began to go over his part playing air drums while tapping out the beat and soon Kagome found she was doing the same thing. Sango leaned against Miroku as she mumbled the words to the song they had spent all week practicing. They didn't notice as more of the people moved onto the stage and returned for a few moments. Kagome feeling confident in her memorization moved to peek through the curtain to see just how many people had showed up. She felt her stomach rise into her throat when she saw that the seats were packed and some people were even standing in the back. She swallowed roughly and searched for the man who had inspired her to this task, but as she finished looking over the entire balcony without seeing him she began to worry that perhaps he wasn't there at all.

She felt Shippo's warm hand on her shoulder as she scanned the lower level, "He's right there by the door," he stated quietly into her ear over the sound of the violin quartet on stage.

With a small gasp she noticed him exactly where Shippo had said he would be, "He actually came."

Shippo chuckled and turned away heading back to where Sango was stretching in an attempt to loosen up and relax. A few moments Kagome joined them as a small girl with short pink hair approached them bubbly letting them know they were the act after next and needed to set up behind the curtain. Apprehensively they moved and had everything set up that they hadn't already set up while Shippo went over a few more details with the sound guy. Kagome and Miroku tuned their instruments carefully while Sango cleared her throat and warmed up, going through the scales a few times and taking a few drinks of water.

"Gah! I can face down evil and not be scared at all, but I get completely spooked by a large group of humans!" Sango muttered quietly to herself, but Shippo laughed when her heard her.

She turned and glared halfheartedly at him, but he only returned it with his trademark smirk and a victory sign. Taking a deep breath she listened as the announcer introduced them with their given names despite the instructions to use the names everyone knew them by. Sango almost slapped herself in the forehead had she not been suddenly blinded by the lights from the stage. Happy that she already spent so much time on the stage before she blinked a few times and her eyes quickly adjusted as Shippo counted off the beat and the music began. Kagome's violin melted on track with a few bass beats before Miroku began playing with Shippo keeping them on beat as Kagome joined them adding her own rich chords into their harmonious blends. Steeling her nerves one last time Sango reached for the mic and poured her heart and soul into the music that they all had poured everything into for the past two weeks.

_If we were to meet tomorrow,_

_Would we recognize each other_

_As the star crossed lovers, we are_

_Or would we pass on by, forgetting,_

_Past meeting future_

_Future meeting eternity._

Though it wasn't their original song everyone had voted that this one was the better of the two and they worked hard throughout the week to perfect the last minute change. The tempo of the song was quick and Kagome's prerecorded violin drawled softy in the background with Shippo's other sounds that only blended and accentuated their live instruments. Sango stayed center stage only turning her head around the mic to look of the crowd as she kept her face in a wondering expression as though she were really singing the song to her long lost lover. She smirked and moved her hips when Shippo's strong beats cued in the arrogant chorus that Kagome sung back up for.

_Lust turning to love,_

_(or is it love turning to lust)_

_Reach out! It's forbidden,_

_Taste that sweet fruit,_

_(Taste me baby, come on)_

_Screaming for each other,_

_Would you recognize me, Romeo?_

_(Where for art thou, Romeo?)_

_This girl your Juliet?_

Kagome sung her parts perfectly as Sango twisted her way around the mic stand seductively. The crowd cheered and Kagome couldn't help but smirk when her eyes caught a hold of the blank Maru in the back. Kagome moved the neck of her guitar and stepped back giving him a daring look before she echoed Sango in the fifth line. She wrote the song with him in her mind and she wanted him to know that. He shifted with a raise of his eyebrow, his eyes beginning to warm as an intrigued smirk fought its way onto his face. Sango moved away from the stand moving towards the edge of the left side as they moved into the second verse.

_Time changes everything_

_So tell me, my lover dear_

_Exactly what to tell you_

_Forget stupid traditions_

_You got me by your side_

_I'll take them all alive!_

Kagome and Miroku backed Sango up on the last line as she moved around on stage, her body flowing with the music. All vestiges of nervousness that Kagome still had disappeared as they moved into the chorus again.

_Lust turning to love,_

_(or is it love turning to lust)_

_Reach out! It's forbidden,_

_Taste that sweet fruit,_

_(Taste me baby, come on)_

_Screaming for each other,_

_Would you recognize me, Romeo?_

_(Where for art thou, Romeo?)_

_This girl your Juliet?_

Miroku stepped forward and Sango moved to dance with him as he ripped out his solo part, Kagome stepping back and softening into a few chords that only helped him, but when his solo ended she stepped back up to her mic her violin on track with a soft chime as she darkly sang her only part of the song before Sango's stronger voice picked everything back up.

_(Dear, I fear, our time grows near_

_ And dear, I fear, I'm losing you_

_ So tell me, just tell me_

_How am I to survive?)_

_Screaming for each other,_

_Lust turning to love,_

_Touching my forbidden, oh!_

_I taste you, you taste me_

_Screaming for each other,_

_Do you recognize me, Romeo?_

_Do you recognize me now?_

_This girl your Juliet?_

_If we were to meet tomorrow,_

_Would we recognize each other_

_As the star crossed lovers, we are?_

Sango finished the last three lines soft like she had in the beginning, having moved back to center stage. The crowd had really liked them screaming out and cheering, everyone standing as they took their bow. Kagome smiled and just before the curtains lowered she saw a flash of silver as Maru disappeared out the door.


	10. Track 8: Moonlight Magic

An hour after the show, Kagome found herself on the winding road outside of town heading to a home she honestly didn't know if she would be able to find, having only been there once before. They had placed second in the show, but the only critic she wanted to hear from had left just after their performance. Drifting around a rather sharp turn in the road she spotted the driveway off to the side just up ahead and she sped towards it fishtailing slightly in the gravel. The lights were all off in the estate and she hoped he wasn't asleep, though she doubted seriously that he was. The garage door opened for her and she parked in the same spot as before, noticing from the light of the moon illuminating the garage that there was now a nice looking motorcycle parked in the spot next to hers. It was a Kawasaki if she had to guess, though she did know that is was one of the ones that she had seen people doing crazy stunts on before. Shaking her head she turned and walked as quietly as she could to the door.

She was startled slightly when she found that the door had been left cracked open, but she rolled her eyes and passed it off as someone being forgetful. She paused halfway through the kitchen realizing that she didn't even know what she was doing here. For all she knew his wife could be home and then there was his crazy half brother. She sighed and turned to leave before she was noticed.

"You are very rude," a cool voice called mockingly. She spun around to see Maru standing in the opening of the hallway, shrouded in darkness. "Entering into my home without permission and not even bothering to say hello."

She felt a shiver go down her spine as stared into his seemingly glowing golden eyes, "You left so quickly," she said softly taking a hesitant step towards him. "I was surprised you even came at all."

He shrugged indifferently, leaning against the wall casually keeping his cold gaze fixed on her, "I had some time to kill."

"Wh-What did you think?" she asked taking another cautious step into the dining area bathed in moonlight.

"You are still lacking," he said shifting as she approached slowly. "However I find that your band's performance made up _some_ for your lack of talent."

Kagome smirked as she stared into his eyes which betrayed his cool exterior, "You're lying."

"This person does not lie, woman," he responded standing straight when she was halfway from him.

"No but you do twist the truth quite often," she said stopping where she stood. "I know you better than you think."

It was his turn to smirk, "Oh really?" he growled darkly taking a step towards her this time before he disappeared from her view. She spun around to face him when she felt his warm breath on her neck, "Then tell me woman, what do you know about this Maru?"

"Th-th-that Maru isn't your real name is it?" she stammered, feeling her heartbeat quicken with him less than a foot away towering above her.

"No, it is not," he answered flatly his hand reaching out to wrap around her waist.

"A-and you have markings on your f-face and ar-arms," she stammered further as he pulled her against him, though she made no move of protest. Instead she reached up and touched the center of his forehead gently, "Here and," she moved and traced where the lines should have been on his cheeks, "here."

"Pray tell little girl," he whispered into her ear nuzzling aside her loose hair with his nose. "How is it you know all this?"

"I-I-I..."

He mocked her, "I what, _Kagome_?"

She gasped when he whispered her name and felt warm wet trails slid down her cheeks as another mind numbing vision violently pulled her out of reality, but this one was short and she didn't faint as she had before. When it was over she looked up at him blushing lightly as she breathed the words he had been waiting to hear.

"We were lovers, once."

He let go of her suddenly and took a step back, "You are sure of this?"

"Sess-sesshir-," she tested the name she had just been screaming in her vision trying to remember it clearly. "Sesshomaru! That was your name right?" He eyes widened but she continued a look of intense concentration on her face, "I remember a palace or at least a room fit for a palace. You and I were together, except we both looked slightly different than we do now. You were missing an arm and I... I was short!"

"You are still short," he commented with a raise of his elegant eyebrow.

She pouted, "No you're just freakishly tall! Not my problem!"

"Is that all you remember?" he asked taking a half step back to her.

"Yeah, pretty much right now," she admitted softly. "Sango said I would remember things as I'm reminded of them."

"So you know of the demon slayer then?" he asked curiously, catching one of her hands in his own and holding it up between them.

"Demon slayer? Miroku just said they were simple folk, they wouldn't tell me anymore than that because Shippo said I would like awaken too quickly or something!" she said quickly. "What's a demon slayer?"

He smirked and leaned towards her again, "It is not yet your time to know, dear _Kagome._"

She almost swooned at the way he breathed her name into her ear, but his strong arm wrapping around her waist kept her steady into place. Her breath hitched in her throat and she did the one thing she had wanted to do since she first saw him. She pressed her lips onto his and found that they were still as soft as they had been in her memory. He responded hungrily and she only gasped when she felt his tongue on her lips before he dove into her mouth deepening the kiss in a way that she hadn't experienced before in this lifetime. Pulling her hand from his grasp she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, never breaking the needy kiss they were sharing. He pulled away from her and began trailing his kisses down her jaw and onto her neck as his hands began to make quick work of untying her obi. She squeaked in surprise and moved quickly to hold her shirt closed when the obi slid to the floor.

He pulled back and looked at her questioningly, "I've uh, never done, um, something like..." she trailed off looking away from him blushing furiously. "I've never done something like this before." He only nodded and moved to step away from her to give her a little space but she grabbed onto his arm, the paler one she noted, "I never said I didn't want to. I'm just... well..."

"You have no reason to fear me Kagome," he said placing a gentle hand to the side of her face, making her look up at him.

Tears filled her eyes once more when she saw the markings on his face slowly reappear with a glow. She looked down when she felt soft fur touching her legs and giggled to see the strange fuzzy thing from her dreams wrapped lazily around the both of them, resting on the floor. She looked back up at him and smiled before he captured her lips once more.

"I'm not afraid of you," she whispered into his ear when he moved back to he attentions to her neck which she found made her stomach knot.

He growled in response before lifting her up so that her legs wrapped around his hips. She was startled and yelped in surprise when she was suddenly bouncing on the soft mattress of a rather large bed. She raised herself to her elbows realizing that her shirt was now opened revealing her black lace bra to him and everything else all the way down until her hips where her pants were still bound. She watched spellbound as he crawled as a predator up to hover over her.

The moonlight glinted in his eyes as he captured her lips once more and she moaned much to her own surprise when she felt a hand trailing up her side, before he pushed the shirt fully off of her shoulder. She eagerly helped him remove the rest of her shirt earning herself an amused chuckle.

"What'd I do?" she asked slightly confused pushing herself into a sitting position with him still in between her legs.

He watched her as she trembled when his hand reached up her loose pants while his other pushed her back, "Enjoy this woman, not every girl looses her virginity twice, to a man such as me."

"Oh, a bit arrogant there aren't we?" she replied fighting the urge to stop the hand that was inching closer to her panty line.

Reaching under her bra he grasped her breast grinning like a Cheshire cat he replied bluntly, "I am, but not without good reason." He growled satisfyingly when her back arched into him. "I assure you this night will be a night you'll remember."

In the another dark room a certain white haired halfbreed growled and pulled his pillow over his head, knowing that this would be one sleepless night that would take him years to forget. He groaned as another pleasured scream echoed throughout the house, before attempting vainly to bury himself further into his bed.


End file.
